Home Sweet Home: Choosing a Petpet for a Lifetime

Maybe you just returned from a long trek to the Hidden Tower. *shifty eyes* A well-deserved Royal Paint Brush clasped firmly in your hand as you magically painted your pet at the Rainbow Pool. And as the last of the iridescent sparkles fade and you admire your new RoyalGirl Uni, you're musing, "What would be the perfect Petpet to keep her company?"

Or perhaps your situation is somewhat different, but regardless, at one time or another, we are all going to be faced with the daunting task of choosing what will, we hope, be our Neopet's lifelong companion, a sweet or, er, not-so-sweet Petpet. Unfortunately, a common practice of late is to acquire and toss aside Petpets akin to toys which have lost their novelty. With this article, I hope to change at least a small portion of Neopia and unite some Neopets and Petpets for always. Here are some points and suggestions to consider as you make your selection:

Your Pet

Certainly, the biggest factor in this decision will be your pet, because no matter what your budget, which we'll discuss later on, if you want something badly enough, you can work to obtain it. Are you a bit confused where to start your search? Don't worry; let's try and break it down into several components at play here:

Species: Do a little research first on your pet's species. Find out where they originated. What is their natural habitat? Sea? Forest? Do they enjoy cold weather or hot weather? For the majority of Neopets, you can use the information listed at the bottom of Pet Central entitled All Neopet Species as a starting point. Take the Bruce, for instance, who comes from a region of Terror Mountain called Happy Valley -- playing in the snow and ice skating are their two favorite pastimes! A bit of exploring reveals a petpet shop, Wintery Petpets! The perfect Bruce companion may await inside. Likewise, each of the other 53 species has its own distinctions, and some fun detective work throughout Neopia may make you one step closer to finding that elusive companion.

Shape: Try keeping your pet's overall body shape in mind; slight variation is fine, but you don't want it looking completely incongruous. For example, a Pepper Chia will probably look better with a Moltenore than a Bloopy. However, if your Pepper Chia has his or her heart set on a Bloopy, and you don't see a personality conflict, by all means, go for it!

Painted Color and Personality: Your pet's painted color and personality go hand-in-hand and will reasonably carry the most influence in this decision. The Neopets Team (TNT) has been kind enough to, with a few slight exceptions*, provide matching Petpet Paint Brushes for each of the regular Neopet Paint Brushes; thus, your Darigan Kacheek can look right at home with a similarly colored Darigan Kimbi. Furthermore, with the recent advent of customization and the NeoCash Mall, gifting your pet with a unique personality has never been easier or more fun! And though it might not be readily apparent, your Petpet can play an active role in your pet's personality. Does your Lupe dream of being a Defender of Neopia? Now, he can be one... with a bungling Warf Rescue Team sidekick! Does your Aisha fancy herself a queen? Everyone will think she is one, and her loyal Miamouse Lady in Waiting will do nothing to deter the illusion. You see? When you choose a Petpet, use your limitless imagination!

Your Budget

The other major concern affecting this Petpet outcome is your budget. Especially after making a huge purchase such as a paint brush or morphing/transmogrification potions and at times both, little to no pocket change can remain to splurge on a Petpet, depending on the starting amount. So, you need to take a deep, deep breath, look at your bank account, and (after finishing this article) decide if you have enough to buy the Petpet you and your Neopet want. Remember to calculate the cost of a Petpet Paint Brush, too, if applicable. And should the answer be "No," I'd suggest rolling up those sleeves yet again and playing games and/or restocking.

*GROAN*

Yes, I hear you. Don't despair, though. There are many on-site petpage guides to earning 15,000-90,000 Neopoints (NP) daily. If you are dedicated, you can earn your dream Petpet in record time!

Patience is the key, though. If you've previously set and reached a goal, you know this; if not, a new concept may be introduced to you -- something called delayed gratification, meaning simply that instead of enjoying small pleasures now, you wait, so you can obtain even more later. Example: Your friend is buying the new Ornate Chandelier for their Neohome. You desperately want to buy some new furniture, too, yet you don't. Save your NP and keep your mind on the goal until you've reached it! Then, not only will you have your dream Petpet but will also have the satisfaction of knowing you worked your hardest to achieve a difficult aim.

*Exceptions

For unknown reasons, certain Petpet Paint Brushes are currently unavailable, including Baby, Royal, and a few lab colors like Chocolate and Snot. Perchance, in the future, TNT may release them, but until then, ingenuity and existing items are your friends. Here are a few suggestions: Baby pets are in need of Petpets who look like they couldn't hurt a fly if they tried, such as: Babyca, Doglefox, and Plushie Angelpuss. Royal pets need a stately steed: Whinny, Gallion, or Alabriss. Chocolate pets: Jinjah, Brown Ona, Symol. And finally, Snot pets: Snotbunny or Bogie. *achoo* Ew.

Tips

If you're out of ideas for a Petpet, sometimes you need to "think outside the box" as the saying goes. I hope the following few tips may be beneficial in your search:

Real Life: Use your favorite animals in the real world to spur you on to original ideas for animals in Neopia. Say you adore frogs and even keep them as pets; perhaps, a Greeble or Huggy will be the perfect Petpet for you. I love Faellies, simply because they remind me of my beloved Chihuahua.

Hobbies/Games on Neopets: Do you have a special hobby or game you love on Neopets? When I first started playing, I remember seeing the Kadoatery board and asking an established player, "What is a Kadoatery?" I'm sure I checked the spelling about 4 times. I laugh about it now, but that was the beginning of an addiction to feeding Kadoaties, which has now been broken as I pursue other goals. However, I love Kads and always will, because I have a connection with them and the friends I made feeding them. Think about it. Maybe you have a Petpet connection somewhere, too.

Friends: If you have exhausted every other suggested avenue and either cannot find a suitable Petpet or choose between two, the time has arrived to call upon those wonderful people known as Neofriends. And, no, I don't mean Brooke whom you met 3 days ago on the Avatar Chat. Sure, ask her opinion and consider; she may have some great ideas! But when a matter you really care about is at stake, consult a trusted friend and allow that opinion to hold the most weight, someone who has been with you quite a while and whom you know will tell you the truth. Maybe the conversation will ignite a creative spark!

Suggestions

Considering the sheer number of Petpets existing in Neopia, I will limit my suggestions to only a few. You can take it from there, since the journey of finding the perfect Petpet is half the fun!

For Budgets Under 100K: Unfortunately, as previously noted, a majority of people are going to be digging around for Neopoints after spending so much on a pet, particularly new players. Others may not be able to access the Internet often to earn NP or various other trials. But even if you're stuck with few NP, have hope, fellow Neopians, since a variety of Petpets in myriad forms are affordable to you. Here are a handful to start you out: Miamouse, Snorkle, Warf, Juma, Harris, Alkenore, Tanizard...

Hooray! You have finally chosen your lifetime Petpet. Congratulations! If you need to paint your Petpet first, you are in for a magical treat. Simply head for the Petpet Puddle in Neopia Central and select the correct Petpet Paint Brush and Petpet. What now? Ah, two of the most enjoyable parts -- presenting the Petpet to your Neopet and then naming him! Naming Petpets is much simpler than Neopet names, since two can have the same name; however, keep it clean and unique. At times foreign languages can provide a beautiful name with meaning behind it. Now, just sit back, let your Neopet and Petpet bond, and maybe someday the Petpet Protection League will knock on your door, and a nice shiny trophy will be ----

*poke*

*nudge*

What?! Oh... my pets would like to say a few words. They think I talk too much. *laugh*

Aqueliae (Maraquan Uni): I turned Maraquan several weeks ago and went exploring underwater, searching for treasure. I spotted a Delfin instead! I hope to have one soon!

Arynelle (Blue Xweetok): Um, I don't have a dream Petpet yet, but I think Carmarillers are pretty.

Tigrabellina (Faerie Kougra): Ever since the first time I saw a Faerie Kadoatie, I fell in love; they're quite expensive, though, and I think Angel's waiting until...

*collective shudder*

Oh, yes, one final warning -- be very careful if and when you decide to the Great Turmaculus in Meridell. Catch him in a bad mood, and all the care, work, and planning invested in this Petpet will go down the drain, erm... I mean, hatch! *cough*